The Wiki Workplace: In a bombshell

Internet is everywhere. It’s been a prerequisite for every coffee shop to offer free wi-fi connection to their customers in return of the cheapest java in the smallest of size that will be enjoyed, shared and consumed by not less than three people in more than five hours. (Hello, Orcom mates! :D) Not only that, even motels’ ads (cough, Sogo, cough) boast free wi-fi connection with high hopes that their loyal customers slash new social media buff would flock the place more often than ever and eventually save their dying financial statement. Or even yuppies with raging hormones who always want to get the best of both worlds. Work then, play? Nah-uh. I say, work AND play.

New Social Media and the Confessional Society

New social media encourages us to be confessional. The society we’re living in, indeed, has become a confessional one. We vent out our frustrations on Twitter, we rant on Myspace, and we update our friends in Facebook. We reveal updates that are kinda cute, say, “My crush asked me out to dinner tonight!” or uninhibited, like, “I just met the best fubu ever at the bar yesterday,” or more than we ever wanted to know, like, “I just took a pee.” Suddenly, it’s like everything we do become worth sharing. Unfortch, we sometimes forget the real value of sharing. We flood our web spaces with nonsensical whines when we can churn out inspirational posts and sensible read.

New Social Media As a Fuel

Telecommunications is not the only industry thriving in this new social media era. While the higher ups are encouraging their subordinates to try new social media, internet cafes, coffee shops, and even mobile phone manufacturers, to name a few, are benefiting from this trend. Students and yuppies, alike, frequent Starbucks or Coffee Bean not because of their famous java, but because of the free wi-fi connection. While the cozy ambience and the delish selection of gourmet coffee drive people to these coffee shop giants, having a free wi-fi connection is big come-on. Before, only coffee shops offer free wi-fi connection, but after seeing the benefits these coffee shops are reaping from this craze, fast food chains immediately followed the lead.

Before, there was 5110— the tacky phone. Then came 7650— the camera phone. Fastforward to present there’s iphone, and other sophisticated mobile phones boasting more than just simple call and text features. As implied in the wiki workplace, you always have to be in the loop. Whether you are in the comfort room, on a romantic date with an officemate, or in the movies, it is imperative that your colleagues can reach you and vice versa. Wikinomics brings work out of the workplace. Now, having a phone that allows only calls and texts is deemed useless. But parading a phone equipped with features allowing web connection sends the message of professionalism and reliability. While some may choose a Blackberry over some overrated Nokia phone because of status symbol concerns, carrying a phone which allows you to send more than just SMS is a plus in the wiki workplace. Creativity can strike any time, so while you’re at it, it’s comforting to know that you’re equipped with the right contraption for sharing. Trends show the need of people for convenient, mobile, and dependable connection. The wiki trend really can fuel the economy and keep it afloat in its own little way.

New Social Media… A killer?

They say new social media proliferates piracy. While it can kill an industry or two, it also can give birth to new industries. And like humans, new social media can’t please everybody. But with rate things are going, new social media is the way to go! 😀

A Reflection on Internet Apocalypso

It’s funny how the internet controls our lives when it’s supposed to be the other way around. My brother was raising hell last night because he couldn’t ‘level up’ his game due to the very slow internet connection. Thanks to Michael Jackson. The internet’s role has gone a long way from being used to serve military needs down to being my little brother’s BFF. The internet sure has contributed a lot to the changes happening in the world right now, be it positive or negative.

On a personal level…

The internet is commonly used by people who want to stay connected to their families, friends, and even to their idols. It is human nature dictating us to poke our friends on Facebook, to follow them on Twitter, and to buzz them on YM. We, humans, need to feel some sense of belongingness and be connected with each other. That’s why I do not believe people saying that internet use leads to isolation. It’s actually a powerful tool to help battle isolation. In fact, I, myself was able to reconnect with my high school batchmates via Facebook. When I’m home, more than half of my day is devoted in front of Mastina but that does not mean I isolate myself from people. Because I still make an effort to meet with my friends once in a while and I would actually prefer FTF communication with them, if only our schedule would permit us. Of course, being able to catch up with your peers over beer is def better than IM-ing. And it’s not actually the internet that’s keeping us from seeing each other, it’s actually our schedules. Being isolated is a choice people make. Blaming it on the net is unfair and downright stupid. It’s not the internet’s problem if you don’t wanna get your little butt out of the house. It’s just matter of choosing whether you want to be the cute puppet or the powerful puppeteer.

On business…

While some view the net as the isolation perpetrator, it also seems to pose some favorable features. The rise of the internet paved the way for a more exciting market competition. The businessmen, however, viewed this differently. The online fora mushrooming the net allow consumers to exchange reviews and comments regarding a certain product thus, helping consumers make wiser investments. It has become a habit for people to check out product reviews online before buying. And having an intelligent market was never good for business. This is the nightmare of every businessman. That’s why at first, they were reluctant to acknowledge the presence of the internet. But now, having a company website is a must. If your company does not own one, it sends the message of instability. It’s been a status symbol, the more sophisticated your company website looks, the more powerful your company is.

The internet is a very powerful communication tool. I can almost imagine people saying they can’t live without it. But really, we can. Our ancestors did for crying out loud. But it’s going to be very difficult. We need the internet at one point or another, that’s for sure. But it shouldn’t control you. You control it. It shouldn’t dominate you. You dominate it. You don’t live for it. You live with it.

Welcome to my Boudoir!

Yes, I am whore. This blog site is my boudoir and my fellow Organizational Communication practitioners are my pimps. But I’m not your ordinary whore. I provide a different kind of satisfaction and take pleasure not from the three-letter word you think but rather from my first love which is actually communication. While I love men, fashion, and gossip, communication will always, ALWAYS have that little but special place in my heart.

This blog will follow me as I explore What’s Hot and What’s Not in the exciting world of communication. I smell interesting exchange of insights and heated comments. Hmm, juicy!

If you love communication, then we’re sure to hit it off immediately. You can enter me, errr, my world anytime, anywhere and when you do, please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to know if you enjoyed my performance. 😉